Embassy News

Nicosia, Apr 23 (CNA) -- The Cyprus government considers the issue raised
by EU High Representative for foreign and defence policy Javier Solana's
statements to a Greek daily as closed, following clarifications given by Solana
himself and other EU officials, Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou
said here today.

Papapetrou was commenting on a statement by Solana in the Greek
newspaper "Vima" on Sunday that if a solution to the Cyprus problem is not
found, then only the "Greek Cypriot part" of Cyprus would become a member
of the Union.|

The spokesman said after clarifications offered by Solana himself and by
Commissioner responsible for enlargement Gunter Verheugen's spokesman
Jean Filori, "the government considers that the issue has been fully clarified."

The Cypriot government has expressed satisfaction "with the fact that EU's
position remains unchanged, that it is basically recognised that the interview
was a product of bad expression or a misunderstanding and considers the
whole issue closed," the Cypriot official added.

He said the clarification sends out the message that Solana sides with the EU
decisions that state that the Republic of Cyprus will de jure join the EU as a
whole, irrespective of whether a prior solution to the Cyprus problem is
reached.

Replying to a question, Papapetrou said "up until the last day before our
accession to the EU we will have problems to solve and cope with difficulties.
We have to build on solid political foundations."

He was quick to add that "our course so far, our behaviour at the negotiating
table for the Cyprus problem and the accession process guarantee very solid
foundations."

Cyprus, which opened accession negotiations with the EU in 1998, has
already closed 27 chapters of the acquis communautaire out of 30.